States Look at Establishing Their Own Health Insurance Mandates

An ambulance is seen in front of University Hospital in Newark, N.J. New Jersey is one of at least nine states that are considering a health-insurance requirement for its residents, after Congress repealed the so-called individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act.PHOTO: KENA BETANCUR/GETTY IMAGES

By

Stephanie Armour

Feb. 3, 2018 7:00 a.m. ET

At least nine states are considering their own versions of a requirement that residents must have health insurance, a move that could accelerate a divide between Democratic states trying to shore up the Affordable Care Act and Republican states intent on tearing it down.

Congressional Republicans in December repealed the so-called individual mandate, a pillar of the ACA, as part of their tax overhaul. That cheered conservatives who say people shouldn’t be forced to buy insurance, but it has now energized liberals who say a mandate is needed to ensure coverage and keep premiums low.

Maryland lawmakers are pursuing a plan to replace the ACA mandate, which requires most people to pay a penalty if they don’t have coverage. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia, are publicly considering similar ideas.

This push illustrates a shift in the health-care battle from Capitol Hill to the states, igniting a surge of activity that could redefine access and coverage for millions of consumers.

The ACA, also known also as Obamacare, sought to create a uniform minimum floor for health coverage. It established certain benefits that many health plans had to cover and barred insurers from charging higher premiums to people with pre-existing conditions.

Republicans in Congress failed to repeal the law overall, but in addition to erasing the individual mandate, the Trump administration has been using administrative actions to roll back the ACA’s requirements and give states more control.

That is creating a landscape in which blue states pursue initiatives to keep or expand the ACA, while red states take actions to defang the law and put a conservative stamp on health policy.

Coming years could see a growing gulf on issues such as Medicaid benefits, consumer protections, insurer regulations and the availability of cheaper, less-comprehensive health plans, health analysts say.

18 questions in 2018 about Russia and the FBI. The American people deserve answers…

Did the FBI pay Christopher Steele, author of the dossier?

Was the dossier the basis for securing FISA warrants to spy on Americans? And why won’t the FBI show Congress the FISA application?

When did the FBI get the complete dossier and who gave it to them? Dossier author Christopher Steele? Fusion GPS? Clinton campaign/DNC? Sen. McCain’s staffer?

Did the FBI validate and corroborate the dossier?

Did Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, or Bruce Orr work on the FISA application?

Why and how often did DOJ lawyer Bruce Orr meet with dossier author Christopher Steele during the 2016 campaign?

Why did DOJ lawyer Bruce Orr meet with Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson after the election? To get their story straight after their candidate Clinton lost? Or to double down and plan how they were going to go after President-elect Trump?

When and how did the FBI learn that DOJ lawyer Bruce Orr’s wife, Nellie Orr, worked for Fusion GPS? And what exactly was Nellie Orr’s role in putting together the dossier?

Why did the FBI release text messages between Peter Strzok and Lisa Page? Normally, ongoing investigation is reason not to make such information public.

And why did FBI release only 375/10,000+ texts? Were they the best? Worst? Or part of a broader strategy to focus attention away from something else? And when can Americans see the other 96% of texts?

Why did Lisa Page leave Mueller probe two weeks before Peter Strzok? This was two weeks before FBI and Special Counsel even knew about the texts.

Why did the intelligence community wait two months after the election to brief President-elect Trump on the dossier (January 6, 2017)? Why was James Comey selected to do the briefing?

Was the briefing done to “legitimize” the dossier? And who leaked the fact that the briefing was about the dossier?

The New York Times reported last week that George Popadopoulos’ loose lips were a catalyst for launching the Russia investigation. Was President-elect Trump briefed on this?

Why did Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson meet with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya before and after her meeting with Donald Trump Jr.?

Why was FBI General Counsel Jim Baker reassigned two weeks ago? Was he the source for the first story on the dossier by David Corn on October 31, 2016? Or was it someone else at the FBI?

Why won’t the FBI give Congress the documents it’s requesting?

And why would @SenSchumer, leader of the Democrat party, publicly warn President-elect Trump on Jan. 3, 2017 that when you mess with the “intelligence community, they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you?”

It doesn’t work that way in America. We are not ruled by unelected bureaucrats, police forces, or intelligence agencies. In America, We The People ELECT officials who govern.

President Trump is on the hunt for a 2018 issue—a strong follow-up to his tax-cut victory that will motivate voters and gain bipartisan support. Democrats are pushing for an infrastructure bill, inviting the president to spend with them. House GOP leaders are mulling entitlement reform—a noble goal, if unlikely in a midterm cycle.

Fortunately for the president, there’s a better idea out there that’s already a Trump theme. It’s also a sure winner with the public, so Republicans ought to be able to pressure Democrats to join.

Let 2018 be the year of civil-service reform—a root-and-branch overhaul of the government itself. Call it Operation Drain the Swamp. Read more …

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